All posts filed under: United Kingdom

Our 2 days in Lake District were laden with rains, which was frustrating enough and more so, considering that we drove from Loch Lomond in Scotland, and had to head back to Edinburgh to catch our return flight. Too confusing? The map below will help prove our rather navigationally challenged decision 😀 . I sincerely wanted to like Lake District, so that it would make the decision to go there feel worthwhile and the distance covered irrelevant. I was utterly disappointed to find it torrentially rainy on Day 1 and while the property we stayed in was very vintage and pretty (Rydal Lodge), it didn’t do too much to uplift my limp spirit. On the second day the rains continued, and we were stuck indoors, waiting inside our small cozy rooms with a cup of tea and cookies, desperate for the rain to slow down. The weather took a turn for the better around afternoon, and we decided to head out to Windermere and explore the streets with a vengeance. We savored the fish and chips at …

I spent 5 days in Scotland in August 2016, flying into Edinburgh and spending a day there, followed by two days each in Inverness and Loch Lomond. I came back feeling that I hadn’t seen enough. This was not any FOMO(fear of missing out) talking, but Scotland’s vast expanse, natural beauty, dramatic highlands and bustling cities had this effect, like there’s a lot more to explore, and a few days is just touching the tip of the ice berg. Nevertheless, I had a wonderful time and am sharing below some pictures from the trip. Till I see ya again, Scotland! Day 1 We flew into Edinburgh in the morning and checked into our Airbnb apartment. The day was spent exploring the streets of the city, eating, visiting the old town area and checking out bars in the historic Grassmarket. Day 2 We left for the three hour drive to Inverness in the morning. Driving around Scotland is spectacular and truly the best way to explore this country. We checked into our hotel, Premier Inn which was about 1.5 miles from …

As a whisky lover, one of the things that I truly looked forward to in Scotland was visiting a distillery. If you didn’t already know, Scotland is one of the major whisky producing countries in the world, with the main regions in the country being The Lowlands, The Highlands, Islay, Campbeltown and Speyside. Hence, it would be fair to say that if you don’t visit a distillery while in Scotland, you are really missing out on something! And even if you don’t drink alcohol or whisky, this is a fascinating experience that I would truly suggest you don’t skip. If you look online, you can find a lot of whisky trail tours stretching over days, however if you don’t have enough time for that, you could just go for the one that is most convenient and make a direct reservation. We visited the Glen Ord distillery which is a 30 minute drive west of Inverness and is situated on the edge of the Black Isle in the Highlands. It was founded in 1838, making it one …

Follow my blog with Bloglovin We knew as soon as we entered the door that we were the odd ones out – a dimly lit room, with a huge bar running along its length, filled with tables and chairs and people and dogs and beer and conversation. And a strong air of intimacy, like you just entered someone’s living room while they were discussing things only meant for their ears. We hesitated, the six of us to take a step forward. Till one of us decided to go to the bar and request for a table, and was told that this room was reserved for locals, most of whom met every day to catch up over a drink, and the main bar was out front for all guests. As we took a step in that direction, the bartender laughed and said “No no, don’t go, of course you can sit here. You guys are more than welcome, everyone is”. We looked at each other for affirmation to stay on. And thus began this night in …